Means for positively opening a valve by pulling.



HQWAIBEL M ENS FOR POSiTIVELY OPENING A VALVE BY PULLING.4

APPLICATIUN FiLED MAR. 25'41914.

Patented Feb. 5,1918. [24? 3 SHEkTS-SHEE H. WABEL.

l MEANS Foa PosmvfLY OPENING A VALVE BY PuLLmG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25| |914. Li., v Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

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MEANS FOR POSITIVELY OPENING A VALVE BY IULLIIIIG.l

APPLICATION FILED MAILVZ. |9I4. v

Patented IEQIJ. 5,1918.

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HENRY WAIBEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A-SSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO LEROY W. THEIS, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, AND ONETHIRD TO MARK N. NELSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MEANS FOR ZPOSITIVELY OPENING A VALVE BY PULLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.. 5, 11018.

Application filed March 25, 1914;. Serial No. 827,076.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY VAiBEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, inthe county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for Positively Opening a Valve by Pulling, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention offers its special utility in connection with the valves of tire-emergency stand pipes or such as are required along the various floors of large buildings.

The general object of the inventive conception has been the provision of a contrivance which will effect the opening of such a valve by a direct pull upon the hose length required to be attached thereto. I am aware of previous efforts having the same purpose in mind; witness besides others, United States Letters Patent issued to Hunter No. 513,265; to Wirt No. 825,570 and to Featherstone No. 868,080.

As contradistinguished from these and such other constructions as have heretofore become known to the market, I have contrived:

(l) A structure that is readily attachable to a standard type of valve which has met with universal approval for the purpose.

(2) An arrangement by which the valve is opened by direct lever action.

(3) A reinforcing of and mode of support for the attached hose length such that injury attendant upon its use is precluded.

An incidental object has been to provide a contrivance which involves few parts, whose resetting or closing is readily comprehended, and which is simple, durable and economical of manufacture.

The inventive conception is associated with means which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claims. While the annexed drawing and particular description thereof, jointly set forth in detail preferred and modified forms embodying my invention, it should be understood that the means only exemplify some of many diversified mechanical forms with which the principle ofi my invention may be justly applied.

Adverting to the drawings:

Figure I is a side elevation of a standard type of valve (Lunkenheimer) showing my invention attached thereto in its closed posiion.

Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I, show ing the position of the elements of my invention when the valve is open.

Fig. III is a rear end view showing the position of the parts when the valve is closed.

Fig. IV is a broken view similar to Fig. III showing the position assumed by the parts when the valve is opened.

Fig. V is a section through the hose-length reinforced after the manner of my invention.

Fig. VI is a longitudinal section through one portion of the reinforcing medium.

Fig. VII is a side view of the modified form of my invention.

The valve which I have chosen for illustration in conjunction with my invention is of the standard lever-throttle or handy-gate type adapted for a quick opening. The construction of the valve will be seen to eomprise an upper boss l, a rear orv inlet boss 2 of hexagonal contour, and a front or outlet boss 3 likewise of hexagonal contour. One side of the valve is furthermore provided with a projecting curvilinear boss 4 which is hollow for the purpose to be hereinafter mentioned. A connecting inlet pipe 5 is screw threaded in the boss 2 while an outlet connecting nipple 8 is similarly screw Vthreaded in the boss 3. Ina'smuch as nothing of an inventive character is claimed for the operative parts of the valve proper, only those few parts will be described which are visible and of general or direct interest for the purposes of this application. rI`he gate 7 of the valve is shown in its open position in Fig. IV. A valve-stem 8 is operatively connected with the gate 7 in any feasible manner, and fixed to the stem 8 so as to be rotatable therewith is a valve-stem lever 9, which is the rst part of my inventive conception to be described. The free extremity of this lever is provided with an opening 10. That surface of the lever 9 which is above is provided near the end other than the one in which the opening 10 is located, with an. upwardly projecting boss 1l, having a trans versely projecting stop l2. The lever 9 is furthermore formed intermediately of the opening and the projection 11, with a small aperture 13. An auxiliary or hose actuated lever 14 is provided near one end with an opening 15 adapted to register with the openinglO and make possible a pivotal connection between the levers 9 and 14 through the medium of a pin 16. In this 18 adapted to register with the aperture 13 when the valve isclosed, for a purpose to be hereinafter made clear. The opposite or lower end of ythe auxiliary lever14 is curved vtowa'rd the bottom of the valve and provided at its extremity with an opening 19. It shouldv be apparent from an inspection of Figs. III and IV that any actuation' of the auxiliary lever 14 must be transmitted to the valve-stemvlever 9, whereby the latter is swung around with it. The closing of the valve is most readily accomplished by pressing downwardly upon' the grip 17, whereupon the upper surface of the auxiliary lever 14, with the'pin 16 as a pivot, will presently engage the stopV 12 andthereafter carry it and hence the lever 9 alongl with it about the valve stem 8 as a pivot. The purpose oi the stop'V 12 is to insure an absolutely tight closure ofthe valvewhen the grip 17 may have y reached the limit of its downward travel.

According to the preferred form 'of my invention, I have provided a pair of brackets 20 and 21 respectively, which are adapted to snugly embrace opposite sides of the valve(V body and support such other parts as y arenecess'ary to my invention. The bracket similarly provided withl openings 32. Vshould now'be' apparent, thearcuate portion 20 whichv is best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a slightly curved upright provided above with an arcuate transverse portion 22 adaptedfto 'conform to and abut the boss "1. The extremities of'the' 'arcuate portion 22 projects-laterally to forml earse, eachrprovidedl'with an opening 24. "Ihenlo'wer extremity.'ofthebracket 20y is provided with a str'aigfht'atcross member 25,' provided at opposite end's'w'ith openings'26. The'bra'cket 20l is provided' intermediate of its ends 'vvitli'ianear'i2'7 which is' also formed with an opening 28. The other bracket 21 is more 'sharply'curved at 29 to conform with the exterior contour of the boss 4, as best shown in Fig'. III. The upper vend of the bracket 21. is of corresponding formation as the upper end of the bracket 20 and includes an varcuate transversely disposed portion 30 having projecting extremities 31 which aAre 22 and30`A'ifor1n'togethera collar around'the boss 1. The lower end of the bracket 21 is also similarly formed as is the lower end of the bracket 2O to include a cross member 33 and a pair of openings 34 at opposite ends thereof. The two complementary collar forming portions 22 and 30 are adapted to be drawn together through the agency of bolt and nut combinations designated entire with the reference character 35. The cross members 25 and 33 are adapted to secure and support between them by means of suitable screws 36, a block 37. This block is pretcrably formed above with [iat surfaces 38` adapted to lie contiguous to a pair ot' the hexagonal surfaces on the bosses 2 and 3 respectively, as clearly shown in Figs. I and II. The block 37 is moreover formed with a longitudinally extending bore 39, having widely iiared end portions 40. It will be noted that the bore 39 extends in the direction from front to rear with reference to the inlet and outlet of the valve. A member 41 provided with a hook 42 is swiveled to the bottom of the block 37 by means of a stud 43 passing therethrough. The hook 42 should have only a slight incline and a smooth merging extremity as clearly shown in Figs. I and II.

A coupling 44 eiiiects connection between the outlet pipe 6 and a hose-length 45 of any approved construction. For a given distance from the coupling 44, I provide the hose 45 with a reinforcing shoe. The construction which will now be described will be best understood by alternate attention to Fig. V. I prefer to have the construction of such shoe involve among other things a pair of fiexible metal strips 46 ruiming longitudinally on opposite sides of the hose. rlhese strips are inclosed by a leather covering 47 and specifically in a fold or loop 48 formed at one end of each of a pair of complementary shoe forming members. Each of the folds or loops 48 supports on its outer side a metal projection 49. Each of the opposite extremities of the two complementary portions of the shoe supports a concave snap 50, adapted to engage and lock with the projection 49l after the manner of the common glove" snap.

The dimensions of the two f complementary portions' 47 should be such that when clasped together they willsnugly embrace the iire hose which is to be used. At the extremity of the reinforcing shoe and along the rear or under strip 46, I aiiix a metal supporting member 51 provided intermediately of its ends with a loop 52. This meniber may be secured to the strip 46 by means of rivets 53 as shown in Fig. VI. I have also shown a pair of links 54 and 55 connecting with the loop 52. A chain 56 passes through the bore 39 to connect in the rear through the medium of its end link 57 with the opening 19 in the lower end ofthe auxiliary lever 14. The other end of the chain is provided with the conventional type of snap 58 which engages the link 55. In this manner, `as will be readily understood, a tugging upon the hose 45 will contrive to open the valve by pulling the levers 9 and 14 into the position best shown in Fig. IV. The link 54 which is directly connected to the loop 52 is preferably of rather large size and adapted to rest loosely upon the hook 42 when the valve is closed as shown in Fig. I.

In this manner the hose may be supported when not in use Without injury to that portionthereof which is nearest the point of support and also without injury and hence likelihood of leakage at its point of connection with the coupling 44. A wire 59 is adapted to pass through the opening 28 and through both openings 13 and 18 when the latter register as they do when the valve is closed. The free ends of the wire 59 are then drawn together and secured with a leaden seal 60. Such sealing of fire valves of this character is to meet the requirements of the municipal water works department to the end of precluding a waste of a free water supply for use other than in cases of fire quenching necessity. As will be apparent from an observance of Fig. IV, a pulling upon the chain 56 will cause the auxiliary lever 14 to move relatively to the valve-stem lever 9 thereby lirst tending to sever the wire seal by a shearing action and finally positively disrupting the same.

The operation of my invention is exceedingly simple. After it hasbeen attached to the valve, the latter is closed and the reinforcing shoe hung upon the hook as shown in Fig. I. Should a fire occur in the vicinity of the particular standpipe with which my invention had been provided, a person is merely required to grasp the extremity or nozzle end of the hose 45 and hasten in the directionof the source of the heat. In the meantime the swiveled hook would turn in the direction in which the hose was being carried and consequently when the same had been stretched to its full length would permit it to slide readily therefrom. 'Ihereafter a comparatively slight pull upon the hose by reason of its direct lever action assisted by the weight of the hose will contrive to open the valve and necessarily permit the flow of the water through the hose. Before placing the hose upon a rack or in some suitable receptacle, it is expedient to dry the same. It is therefore desirable to be able to quickly detach the same and it is for this reason that the snap 58 has been provided.

The modification disclosed by Fig. VII resides solely in making the block 61 integral with the bottom of the valve. Otherwise the construction and operation is identical including the shape and direction of the extent of the bore 62 through which the chain 56 would in this instance be similarly drawn. The advantage, waiving the initial expense in altering the valve, consists in obviating the necessity for the brackets.

My invention being thus described with suiicient thoroughness, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and therefore claim specifically, is:

1. In means for positively vopening a valve by pulling, the combination with a valve body, a hose coupled thereto, a hook swiveled upon said valve body, and a loop secured to a given portion of said hose and adapted to engage said hook.

2. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination with a standard valve body, a hose coupled thereto, a member removably clamped thereto, a hook movably Secured to said member, and a reinforcing strip carried by said hose, said strip having a loop adapted to engage said hook.

3. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination with a valve body, -a hose coupled thereto, a depending member removably attached thereto, a hook swiveled to said member, and a reinforcing device secured to said hose and including a loop spaced some distance from said coupling, said loop adapted to be supported upon said hook.

4. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination of a pair of brackets adapted to embrace opposite sides of the valve body, means for drawing said brackets together, a block carried by said brackets and provided with an opening, a hose coupled to said valve, a valve-stem lever, and a chain passing through said opening and connecting said hose and lever.

5. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination with a valve body, a valve-stem lever having an aperture, an axuiliary lever articulating with said valve-stem lever so as to have a shearing engagement therewith, said auxiliary lever having an aperture adapted to register with said aperture, and a seal including a portion passed through said apertures adapted to be severed by the co-action of said levers.

6. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination of a valve, and a compound lever for operating the same, and a seal connecting said lever components, said components adapted to have a shearing action whereby to sever said seal.

'i'. In means for positively opening a valve by pulling, the combination of a valve, a

valve-stem lever, a hose coupled to said f by pulling, the combination-of afvalve body,l aliose coupled thereto, a *valve-stem-lever,`

, ah'ook carried,- by said valve body, another hood carredfy by said hose; and adapted to engage said irst mentioned hook, and av connection between .said hoseV andV leven 9. In meansfor positively openingavalve by pulling, the combinationof a1valvestem lever, a standard fire hose coupled to the Valve; a quick detachable reinforcing shoey Said slloe'beingfexible and adjustable along Saidk hose,and a limiting connection between said shoe and lever whereby the latter may be actuated in response to a pull upon the formel.

Signed byme, this 23rd day of March, 1914.

HENRY VVAIBEL.

AttestedrY by-L MARY COLEMAN, WV. C. BocKEN.

Copies of this-patent may be obtained foxfye cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

